


The Dragon's Scales

by Tieshima



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: (Not from Hanzo), Does it count as a major character death if Genji doesn't die?, Domestic Violence, F/M, Hanzo is a dork, Hanzo is ordered to kill Genji you all know this, NSFW, Nobody messes with your dragons, Noodle Dragons, Smut, The little shit comes back, Unplanned Pregnancy, Violence, Young Genji Shimada, Young Hanzo Shimada
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-04
Updated: 2017-06-04
Packaged: 2018-11-09 01:40:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 20,746
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11094234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tieshima/pseuds/Tieshima
Summary: You work at Shimada Castle where you end up saving Hanzo's and Genji's life. He was boy, you were a girl. Can I make it anymore obvious? This is your story of being in love with the heir to a crime family.





	1. Chapter 1

You came to Hanamura with nothing. Nothing except the clothes on your back and a small wad of cash in your pocket. You were a rather pathetic sight. Which is probably why the old woman at the ramen shop took pity on you. She talked to her daughter and got you a job at the castle as a servant. You spent your day cleaning floors, dusting shelves, occasionally helping the chef get food for the kitchens when he needed help carrying everything, anything that needed done. It didn’t take long for you to realize that this wasn’t some hoity toity castle. The castle grounds had many rooms and open court yards dedicated to weapons and battle training. There had also been more than one occasion where you would be polishing a decorative panel only to accidently hit a hidden latch and have the whole panel open up. The most unnerving were the hushed meetings and the shady figures that roamed the grounds. The Shimadas definitely weren’t a family that got its wealth by sitting on its name. You weren’t blind you saw the under table deals, the blood stains in the grains of the wood. You figured the best way to keep your head would be to keep it down. Which worked. Up until the assassination attempt.

  


Part of being the help meant you were invisible. As long as you wore your uniform no one took notice of you, no one bothered you. Even when they were barking orders at you to fetch them food or tea or bring a towel they rarely looked at your face. So that’s probably why you went unnoticed when visitors from a rival crime syndicate were whispering about their plan. The group had come to discuss treaty lines and while the heads would discuss the details the small entourage they had brought were in a separate room enjoying sake. You were bringing them another bottle when one of the goons groped at you. You had pushed him off and went about your duties when he made a comment about how you’d be his once they were running the place. He was hushed by his superior but you were listening more carefully after that and found out the higher ups that were about to meet with the head of the Shimada family had snuck in weapons. The head and his men weren’t the only ones going to that meeting, Sojiro’s sons would be there too. This plan had the potential to end the Shimada line.

  


The moment you saw your opening you slipped away. The Shimadas had been away on business and where flying in. If you hurried, you could catch them before they went into the meeting. You were rushing down the hall when you saw Sojiro and his men walking to the tea room.

  


“Master Shimada!” You called, rushing over. “Master Shimada I have something-“

  


“I don’t have time for my son’s dalliances.” The stoic man didn’t even look at you as the group kept walking. “However you feel he has slighted you discuss it with your superior. They will take it from there.”

  


“What? No I really need-” You try to walk in his path but you are jerked away and thrown against the wall. Before you realize it there is a blade to your throat.

  


“My master said he didn’t have time for you.” A voice hisses at you as you watch the group walk away and disappear around the corner.

  


You turn and see Oshiro Sho sneering at you. You grimaced. The man was young but ruthless and talented. He had soared through the ranks at a young age securing a position in the head’s inner circle. The man was unstable though. One minute he could be sweet and charming and the next he could be running you through. Everyone tried to give him a wide berth. Especially you. You got nothing bad juju from the creep.

  


“Now,” He lowers his blade and steps away. “If you have any concerns, you can come see me after the meeting…privately.” 

  


You had to fight your gag reflex as you felt his eyes rove over your body. He gives you a wink before leaving. You take a deep breath to steady your shaking body.

  


The Shimada family had just walked into an ambush and no one would listen. Fine then, you’d just take it into your own hands. You rush off and speak with one of the girls that were going to be serving. It didn’t take much persuading to switch duties with you and give the other men a drugged sake. She always got nervous at these sorts of things. You sneak a blade up each sleeve of your kimono and gather up the tea tray.

  


You were risking a lot for a family that didn’t even know your name but you had to. They gave you a job, got you off the streets. Your life took a turn for the better because of them. Besides, when this turned into a firefight it would be the servants, your friends that would be caught in the crossfire. You had to do something even if it meant losing your own head.

  


You walk in and begin serving, going to each person and pouring them tea. No one paid you any mind except the Shimada heir. As you came to pour his cup he arched a brow at you. You gave a pointed stare to the “guests” and went about your duties. He looked to the representatives with a sharp eye and seems to find something because you see his fingers twitch under the table.

  


You stay off to the side and watch carefully. Doing what you were asked but staying close to the visitors. When one of them asks for a refill, you see what you were looking for. The watches they’re wearing aren’t watches. At one point during your less than upstanding career you did a stint doing forgeries. Part of it was watches. All three men were wearing the same watch and they were expensive but the logo didn’t match the style that the company was known for. The brand they were trying to emulate had a strict quality control policy which meant that a design could not deviate from a base quality guide line by five points. This one violated at least fifteen.

  


“Watch it.”

  


You jerk and stop pouring, the tea over flowing slightly.

  


“My apologies.”

  


“You can make it up to me later.” The man winks at you and you give him a small nervous smile as you dab up the mess. 

  


What was it with the yakuza and flirting with the staff? Maybe they had trouble remembering faces because they were too busy staring at asses?

  


“Your proposal is tempting,” says the man at the end of the table opposite of Sojiro. He seemed to be the one running this op. “But there is just one thing I’d change…”

  


“And what is that?” Sojiro asks.

  


“Well, we don’t want just part of the territory, we want all of it.”

  


Everything happened in the blink of an eye. The men flicked their wrists and the watches turned to gauntlets that wrapped around their hands. You didn’t know what you were doing, your body just reacted. You throw the tea pot against the face of their leader. The confusion gives you enough time to slip out your hidden knives. One gets buried into the arm of the man next to you pining it to the table, the other in the chest of the leader. The third man finally recovered from his shock and took aim of his target, which was the Young Master Genji. You thought in an instant. Which was probably why your plan was shit. You leaped across, throwing yourself at the man. As the two of you fell to the floor the gauntlet let out a whine and fired of a blast of yellow plasma. You look up confused when the plasma shot goes flying over you and into the wall in front of you, clearly the opposite direction it had been sent. This gives the man enough time to punch you hard enough to send you crashing to the floor. He rears up to try and get another shot only to be set upon by a large beast.

  


Wait what?

  


You tried to make sense of what you were seeing but you couldn’t wrap your head around the image of what looked like a violet dragon devouring the would-be assassin. Maybe it was the concussion.

  


“I’m disappointed Akira-san. I would have thought you’d known better than to take on a dragon.” Sojiro sauntered over to the fallen leader you was still trying to pull in air past the blood bubbling up his throat. “I will give you points for creativity. Your toy is very amusing.” He puts one foot on the arm with the gauntlet and his other foot on the man’s throat. He quirks his eyebrow at the tech around the man’s hand.

  


Someone places a hand on your shoulder and you jump. You look up and see Young Master Hanzo. He helps you up to your feet then turns your face to look at the cut along your cheek. When you look into his face your eyes meet causing you to go stock still. You feel like they’re piercing right into you. A blush spreads across your cheeks and you glance away. That’s when your eyes are drawn back to the remaining enemies and the…dragons?

  


You blinked. Then you blinked again. Nope. They weren’t disappearing. The man that you had stabbed in the arm had a long blue dragon wrapped around him with its jaws at his throat. Movement catches your eye and you look to see the violet dragon slither through the air away from the mangled body of the man that had punched you and wrap itself around Sojiro’s arm. Genji walks over and you see a green dragon wrapped around his shoulders. It hisses at the man under his father’s foot.

  


Hanzo releases your face but keeps a hand around your arm to keep you steady as his father speaks again.

  


“Unfortunately even if I could forgive the fact that you brought weapons to a peace meeting, you went after my sons. That it is something I cannot stand for.” He reaches down and jerks the knife out. Blood pours out of the wound and Sojiro watches with a cold glare as the light fades from the man’s eyes and he goes still. “Hanzo.”

  


Hanzo looks to the blue dragon and the ethereal creature rips out the man’s throat with a twist of its head. You gasp staring wide eyed at the carnage as the creature floats through the air and wraps around the Young Master’s left arm. “Bankotsu, take some men to take care of the group Akira brought. They will no doubt be on us any second now.” Sojiro orders his second in command.

  


“I already sent some ahead. They reported back saying they have all been incapacitated. The servant girl put a sleeping agent in their drinks on this one’s orders apparently.”

  


You gulped as all eyes turn towards you. “I-I-Well-You see…um…”

  


“It seems I owe you both my thanks and my apologies.” The Oyabun turns to face you. His dragon wraps more tightly around his arm and fades from existence.

  


“Ap-Apologies?”

  


“Yes. I assume this was what you were trying to tell me earlier but instead of listening I brushed you off.”

  


“Told you I didn’t sleep with her.” Genji mumbles under his breath.

  


Sojiro continues as if he didn’t say anything. “If you hadn’t nearly been so dedicated things would have turned out differently. I owe you a debt.” The man begins to bow and the rest of the room follows suit.

  


“O-Oh no! I-Well-It’s me that was repaying a debt Master.” You feel yourself turn red from the top of your head and down your neck.

  


Sojiro looks up and quirks a brow.

  


“I didn’t have any options when I came here and now because of your employment I do. I have money, a roof over my head, a reliable job, I owe you for my new life here.” You give a bow in return.

  


Sojiro smiles pleased but then he looks down at the knife he is still holding and back to you. “You’re not one of my assassins yet you handle a blade like one. Where did you train?”

  


“Oh, um…I was a street performer for a little while…more specifically juggler. One of my acts involved juggling knives so I’m comfortable with handling a blade…” Your eyes dart down. You gulp at the dead body and back up again. “Not so much with the whole stabby stabby part…” You make awkward stabbing motions with a hand.

  


Genji bursts into laughter. “Stabby stabby part? You’re killing me.”

  


“Now Sparrow be nice. This girl just saved your life.”

  


“I’m the one that deflected the shot.”

  


“Yes but imagine if she hadn’t distracted them long enough for you to summon your dragon. Then I would be down a son.”

  


“And a head ache,” Hanzo says.

  


“Awww I’d miss you too brother. In fact I’d miss you this much,” Genji says as he holds his middle fingers up a shoulders width apart. His dragon leans forward and flicks his tongue as if he’s blowing raspberries.

  


“Fuck you.” Hanzo returns his own bird and his dragon gives a hiss.

  


“Boys enough. Bankotsu, make sure this one gets training. There’s untapped talent there.” With that the head of the Shimada clan exits motioning for his sons to follow.

  


Hanzo seems unsure whether he should leave you but you give a small smile and a thank you assuring you’re fine. He is hesitant but leaves with his brother whispering in his ear.

  


“Report to the training dojo tomorrow at dawn. I’ll speak with your supervisor. And get that cut looked at. Tomorrow we find out if you can turn a juggler into a ninja,” says Bankotsu with a gruff voice. With that he disappears also.

  


What the fuck just happened?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please help support me on [**Ko-fi**](https://ko-fi.com/Z8Z5DNDF) so I can have more time for you darlings!


	2. Chapter 2

You start your training and it is difficult, not much of your maid training transferring obviously. Despite seemingly being put on a new career track you are still kept on the servant staff. Although at a reduced schedule. Apparently Sojiro liked the idea of having hidden guards amoung the staff and you were the pilot program. So often was the staff over looked, how unfortunate would it be for enemies if there were snakes hidden amoung the grass.

  


You took to the blade like a fish to water. Guns took a bit of a learning curve but you learned quickly. It was not long before you were moved onto the bow and arrow. Which is why you were marching yourself to the archery range early in the morning a few hours before your cleaning shift. As you came into the courtyard you saw someone was already there. It was the Young Master Hanzo. He was nocking two arrows with another two clenched in his palm and you hung back to watch. He pulled back and released the arrows before nocking and firing the other two in rapid succession. The first two arrows split creating a scatter shot. The second set flies through the air and burst into another scattershot causing the projectiles to bounce off each other. The final result is the two front center targets are left unscathed but the ones on either side and directly behind are pin cushions. It does not miss your attention that each one is pierced through the center. You clap in amazement.

  


Hanzo jumps and turns, his eye brows nearly in his hair line.

  


“Sorry.” You stop clapping and give a sheepish smile. “That was amazing.”

  


Hanzo glances back to the range. He grunts. “When you train as much as I do there is a certain expectation of where your level of efficiency should be.”

  


“That’s why I’m here.” You hold up your training bow and arrows. You step forward and he moves aside to make room for you. “Practice makes perfect.”

  


He grunts and focuses back on the target in front of him.

  


You turn to yours and nock an arrow. You pull back feeling a burn run through your arm. As you try to take aim the arrow drifts. You jerk the arrow back into position and fire. It lodges into the left side of the outer ring. You sigh as you nock another arrow. Forget perfect, you’d just settle for passing the archery test. How were you going to do this while running and dodging gunfire? You let off another shot. This one is an inch closer in but it didn’t go much higher than its partner. You take a deep breath and try to bury the feeling of nervousness and frustration. Hanzo has his own arrow nocked and aimed at the target but you can feel him watching you out of the corner of his eye. You try not to notice and aim a little higher. You clear your mind, let it go quiet, feel the wind-

  


“It’s not your angle it’s your hands.” Hanzo’s deep voice cuts through the silence, startling you and causing you to fire prematurely. The arrow sails through the air and across the rope holding up the training bell. It snaps causing the bell to plummet into a pile of shooting targets with a loud clang.

  


You gasp and drop your bow horrified.

  


Hanzo coughs and scratches at the back of his neck. “Never liked that thing anyway.”

  


You groan. “This is why you don’t hire maids to be assassins.”

  


“You just need to change your stance.” He walks over and picks up your bow. He steps behind you and starts to move your limbs with light touches. He threads an arrow between your fingers. “Keep your arrow level when you draw back.” He has you pull back and rests his hand around the crook of your elbow for a moment.

  


You feel yourself turning red. He’s no longer touching you but his hands are hovering over yours and you can feel his body heat radiating off of him. You try to focus on what he is telling you but you can’t help but keep thinking about how so clearly in your bubble he is. A warm touch snaps you back to attention. His hand holds the one of yours that is pulling back, steading it. You didn’t realize you were trembling.

  


“Don’t worry. As you build up your strength your hand won’t shake as much when you pull back.”

  


Yeah. That was it. Your shaking was from not being swol enough. Has nothing to do with the handsome devil standing behind you.

  


He nudges your front hand. Then his hands lower. “Try now.”

  


You let go. The arrow sails through the air and lodges its self just left of dead center. You smile and look at him excited. “I did it!”

  


His lips twitch and a slight pink colors his cheeks. “N-Nock another one.” You nock another and Hanzo only has to angle your back arm. “Watch this arm. This is what is making you drift to the left.”

  


“M’kay.” You release. It hits center. “Yes!” You nock another arrow and Hanzo takes a step back.

  


He watches you fire a few more arrows, each hitting close to the center. As you aim to start hitting other targets he speaks again. “I hear that you are continuing your cleaning duties still.”

  


“Hm? Oh yeah. Since I’ll still be on the staff after I finish training figured might as well stay on.”

  


“That must not give you a lot of time for rest.”

  


“I have reduced hours. I can still find down time.”

  


“That-that’s good. Rest is an important part to training. Practice does you no good if you burn yourself out.”

  


“I agree. So uh…how long before I’m able to do that super cool dragon thingy?”

  


“That is a gift only granted to those born of the main branch of the Shimada family.”

  


“Too bad. Your dragons are amazing. And sooo beautiful.”

  


Hanzo’s blush deepens and he clutches at his left arm as he feels a tingle jolt through it. “R-Really?”

  


“Most definitely. The way you and Genji fight with them…I’ve never seen anything like it. Granted I’ve never seen a real dragon before so, there is that. Still amazing though.” You pause in pulling back an arrow to look at him worried. “Is something wrong with your arm?”

  


“What? No. It’s just-I-My-Good day.” He walks past you without making eye contact.

  


“You forgot your bow!”

  


He halts, hurries back, swipes his bow up, and then makes his way to the exit as fast as he can, being just short of a full out run. When he rounds the entrance to the castle he passes a smirking Genji.

  


“Smooth. A real Casanova.” he calls after him.

  


“Shut up Genji!” Hanzo calls back.

  


As you progress in your training you not only see more of Young Master Hanzo but of his younger brother Genji. In fact, Genji has seemed to have taken you under his wing. He invites you to join him and his brother during training, he comes to sit with you during meals, and he will even come to talk to you while you are on your cleaning shift. As close as you and Genji have gotten though, you haven’t made much progress with Hanzo. He always seemed to be itching to leave and you could count the number of times he had looked you in the eye on one hand. You wondered if you had done something wrong. Or perhaps he didn’t enjoy your company as much as you thought and only tolerated you because Genji seemed drawn to you. But you thought you had hit it off that morning at the archery range.

  


“Hello?”

  


Maybe it was because of your stations?

  


“Earth to Y/N.”

  


That didn’t seem to bother Genji.

  


“Y/N.”

  


Then again, more was expected of Hanzo as the next head of the Shimada family.

  


With a bang suddenly you are engulfed in smoke. You cough and try to wave the powder away. “What the hell?”

  


“Well hello there. Back to planet Earth are we?”

  


You look up from the uniform you were folding and glare at the green haired ninja. “Was that necessary?”

  


“Ha ha ha! Sorry. But you were drifting off there.” He sits next to you and you notice him carrying a box. He opens it and holds it out. Inside is line of rice balls.

  


You shake your head and go back to the laundry. “I have to fold these before the end of the hour. But save me two?”

  


Genji looks at the baskets of uniforms you still have left. “You have to do all of these? By yourself?”

  


“This is an average work load. Don’t worry. I can knock them out.” You grab another uniform.

  


“Let me help.” Genji sets the box aside and grabs a uniform.

  


“I’ve cleaned your room before. I know your idea of laundry,” you say in a dry voice.

  


“Just because I don’t fold my clothes doesn’t mean I can’t.” He folds the uniform then looks to yours with the crisp corners. “…how do you get the straight edges?”

  


You chuckle and grab another uniform. You go through the motions with slow movements while Genji follows along. He follows what you do for a few folds but is soon folding at an adequate speed.

  


“So, what weighs on your mind?”

  


You pause and look at him out of the corner of your eye.

  


He shoots you a smile and continues his work.

  


You sigh. “Do you know if Young Master Hanzo is angry with me?”

  


“I know he doesn’t like it when you call him Young Master.”

  


You groan. Fabulous.

  


“Has he done something to make you think so?”

  


“He just always looks so…constipated.” He snickers but you continue. “We’ll be talking or he’ll be helping me train and then he’ll go all red in the face and try to leave the room as soon as possible. Yesterday, he ran from the room trying to get away from me. Not walked briskly. Ran.”

  


“What were you two doing before that?”

  


“Hand to hand combat training. I won the match. But Hanzo isn’t petty enough to let that bother him. Right?”

  


“When you say you won, that means you pinned him yes?”

  


“Yes.”

  


“And when you pinned him, you were on top of him?”

  


“How else would I pin him?” You arch an eyebrow when you see Genji fighting a laugh.

  


“Do not worry about my brother. I believe he was just being har-hard on h-him-himself.” Genji turns into a mess of laughter.

  


“I think I’m missing out on your joke.”

  


Genji takes deep breaths as he tries to calm himself down. “H-Have no doubts. My brother enjoys your company very much. He speaks very highly of you.”

  


“Really?” you ask in a high excited voice. You blush when he smirks at you. You look away and speak in a lower register. “Really?”

  


“Really.”

  


You can’t help but smile.

  


“Genji.” You two look up to see Sho approaching you. “Your father is asking for you.”

  


“What did I do now?”

  


“Ichigo-san’s sons.”

  


“We’re consenting adults.”

  


“None the less he still wants to see you.”

  


Genji sighs and sets aside the uniform he was folding. He stands and gives you a bow. “My apologies Y/N. I must leave you. And don’t worry, things will sort themselves out.” He gives your shoulder a squeeze and walks away.

  


“Wait! Your rice balls!” You call.

  


“Keep them. Consider them an apology from my brother. The mother hen made them himself.” With that Genji disappears out the door.

  


You smile down at the box. He makes lunch for his little brother? How sweet.

  


“Well played.”

  


Your smile vanishes and you look to see Sho smirking down at you. “Excuse me?”

  


“You’ve gone from a street urchin, to servant in a prominent household, to a Shimada trainee. And by the looks of it the next stop is the next Lady Shimada.” His smile stretches across his face and you can’t help but shiver at his predatory gaze.

  


“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  


“Don’t be ashamed. You could not find a more sympathetic audience.” He begins to circle you. “People like you and me, we do whatever we have to, to crawl our way out of the gutter. We scratch and claw for any scrap of power we can get. In my case by my ruthlessness. In yours, your…” His eyes rake up and down your body. “Innocence. Or the perception of it at least.”

  


“Is there a point in there because I have work to do?”

  


He squats down so he is eye level with you. “I’m just saying perhaps we can be assets to each other. I scratch your back you scratch mine.”

  


You sneer at him. “I highly doubt what you have in mind is scratching.”

  


He licks his lips and looks you dead in the eye. You stare back unflinching. He reaches out and you tense, ready to snap off his hand. He doesn’t touch you. Only takes a rice ball. “I’m always looking for an asset to help me up the next rung on the ladder. Be an asset and we can climb together.”

  


“And if I’m not.”

  


“Then you can be a rung.” He stands and starts to walk away. “Take my advice and be an asset.” He takes a bite and glances at you over his shoulder. “These are good.”

  


He disappears through the door and you try to shake the feeling that you’re covered in slime.


	3. Chapter 3

After that day in the laundry room, you try to avoid Sho as best you can. It is difficult as Sho seems to volunteer more to help train the newbies and every time he sees you he gives you a knowing look as if you have some inside joke. He keeps his distance though, especially if Genji or Hanzo are nearby. Luckily Sho seemed to be off seeing to his own duties today so you were left unharassed. You thank your stars for that as you step off the running mill and collapse onto the padded bench. You reach out to grab a towel to dab at the sweat on your brow only to hit the bench. You look over confused to see your bag is missing. You look around but it’s not in sight. You kneel down to look under the bench and there it is but it’s not alone. Under the bench Hanzo’s dragon is tugging your bag along the floor. It freezes when it sees you.

  


“Well hello there.” You hold out your hand. The long dragon shoots out and for a terror filled moment you think it’s going to bite you. Instead it wraps itself up your arm and around your neck. You go still and let it sniff at you, images of throats being ripped out flash in your mind. Genji had told you once that their dragons were extensions of themselves and were only a danger to their enemies but you still had trouble approaching something that looked so predatory with anything but caution. When it starts to nuzzle its head against yours you relax and scratch under its chin. “So what exactly are you doing here? Where’s your master?”

  


In reply the dragon flicks its tongue into your ear.

  


You can’t help but giggle and squirm. A strangled cry causes you to look to the door. Hanzo is standing there with a face the color of a fire truck and getting redder.

  


Oh no. You’d upset him again.

  


“Release her this instant,” he hisses and holds out his left arm.

  


This has the opposite effect as the creature’s coils tighten around you. While the pressure around your arm and neck is only uncomfortable right now you desperately hope it doesn’t squeeze any tighter. You rather like breathing.

  


“Now.” You see a faint blue glow light behind his eyes. His warm beautiful eyes that make you want to swoon even now.

  


Gawd you’re pathetic.

  


You feel it rumble in discontent before it slides off you and floats over to wrap around its master’s arm. You watch in amazement as it sinks in leaving a trail of glowing flecks that drift through the air.

  


“I apologize. Kohaku has been restless.” He scratches at his neck and averts his eyes away.

  


“It’s no problem.” You get your bag and stand, picking at the strap. “So, Kohaku huh? You know there’s this really old movie that has a dragon named Kohaku. Your dragon and he look alike.”

  


“You know Spirited Away?”

  


You look up surprised and he is staring at you with eyes as wide as yours. “Uh…yeah. That’s one of my favorite films. I’m a bit of a vintage film junkie.”

  


Hanzo actually breaks into a smile. It’s so bright and seems to dissipate the stress from his body. “I am too. Have you seen Howl’s Moving Castle?”

  


“Only a million times.” You clap and give a little hop. “I don’t care how old those films get, they’ll always be masterpieces to me.”

  


He reaches forward and clasps your hands in his. “Truly timeless. My brother and I used to have weekend marathons. Even my father would join us on occasion. Would you-” Hanzo glances down and realizes he is holding your hands. The redness that had been fading from his face flares up again. 

  


You start to wonder if all those times you’d seen him red in the face was him blushing. But why would he be blushing around you of all people? When he continues to stare at your entwined hands you ask, “Would I what?”

  


He jerks his head up to look at you. Your eyes meet. “Oh. Well, I was hoping- I mean. Would you…Would you…?” 

  


The two of you unconsciously lean towards each other. Your heart pounds against your chest. Is he…?

  


He takes a step forward. “Would you like to…” Something flashes across his eyes and his back goes ramrod. He drops your hands looking away. “To borrow the master collection.”

  


What?

  


“What?”

  


“When I was a child my mother purchased the Ghibli master collection for me. I could lend it to you sometime. If you like.”

  


“Oh.” You inwardly berate yourself for reading too much into his actions. “Yeah. That-That would be nice. Thank you.”

  


“You’re welcome. I’ll have it delivered to you tonight. Good day.” He nods then leaves the room as quickly as possible.

  


“Good day. Bye Kohaku!”

  


You sniff yourself. Your nose scrunches up at the smell. Why did he have to find you after a three hour work out?

  


Hanzo clamps his hand down on his arm as he feels his arm tingle and the telltale shifting of his dragon trying to form. He hisses at his arm, “Enough. I am your master. You listen to me. And while you’re at it stop stealing her things. I’ve just returned the hair clips and socks you’ve stolen. No more!”

  


“Wow.” Hanzo jumps at the sound of his brother’s voice. He turns to glare at the green haired troublemaker leaning against the wall. “You must really have it bad for this girl if your dragon has started hoarding her things.”

  


He straightens. “You do not know what I have or do not have.”

  


“I know you have no game.”

  


His glare intensifies before he storms off. To his chagrin his brother shadows him.

  


“I must say brother, how will you be able to face the challenges of being head of the Shimada clan if you can’t even ask a-” He grunts as he is thrown against the wall, Hanzo’s arm pressing into his throat.

  


“Do. Not. I will not hear criticism from the son that constantly disobeys our father and the elders.”

  


Genji holds up his hands. “Alright. I apologize.”

  


Hanzo releases him and continues on his way. Again Genji follows.

  


“I must say though, it is rather entertaining to see your usually steadfast composer crumble. At least it was for the first week. Now it’s starting to get pathetic. The cherry blossom festival is coming up. Ask her to that. She will say yes.”

  


“You can’t know that for sure.”

  


“With as often as she asks about you? Believe me, I know.”

  


A small smile fights to show itself on his face. “She asks about me?”

  


Genji groans. “ASK HER OUT!”

  


“I have tried! But every time I speak with her I just can’t help but worry how she will fare in our life.”

  


“You remember the part where she stabbed two men for us yes?”

  


“You know our duties greatly outweigh those of an ordinary assassin. Oh wait, no you don’t. Because you are always shirking yours.”

  


“Make your move brother. Or someone else will make theirs.” Genji leaves him to mull over those words.

  


Hanzo delivered the movie collection like promised that night. Well, Kohaku did. He came floating in through the window in the servants quarters holding the box of disks wrapped in a silk fabric. You blush as whispers and giggles go up around the room. You take the box and thank the dragon but instead of floating back out the window he rolls through your bed sheets. You shake your head and turn back to the package. You unwrap the silk and realize it is a scarf. On top of the box is a note and an old looking book. The note is from Hanzo saying that the book is an art book with story boards of Miyazaki’s unpublished works and thought you would enjoy it. You smile.

  


“Ooooh. Love notes and gifts from a special someone?” Haruhi leans into your side to read the note over your shoulder.

  


You hold the note to your chest and smirked at her. Haruhi was the daughter of the ramen shop woman and helped you get the job at the castle. She had also helped you learn the ropes and you became quick friends. Haruhi was a good friend but you sometimes can’t help but think she has an unhealthy addiction to gossip. “They are not love notes. He is lending them to me. As a friend.”

  


“If this was Genji I might believe you but his scaly blue butt tells me different.” You look to the dragon which has paused in his burrowing to look up at the servant girls staring at him. Your other roommates had come over to get a closer look at the blue dragon. It was a rare sight to see any of the dragons out roaming around without their masters nearby. They were talking amoungst themselves and one reached a hesitant hand out to pet its head. Before her hand could get close, Kohaku flicks is tail around slapping her away. The girls yelp and back away when he starts growling at them.

  


“Kohaku, be nice or you can leave,” you scold.

  


The dragon humphs at you with smoke trailing from his nostrils. He then turns away to rummage through the few belongs you had next to your futon.

  


“You even have power over his dragon?” Haruhi’s smirk grows even wider.

  


“Genji just gave me a few pointers. Apparently outside of battle they’re more like cats than fierce beasts. I mean for heaven’s sake Genji’s is named Soba. It hardly strikes terror.”

  


“Yes but there is a reason that their father calls him Sparrow. Genji is a soft soul who craves the fun and light of life. Hanzo is the heir to the Shimada clan and he has proven that. The Shimada dragons are a reflection of their masters. If his dragon bends so easily to you there is a reason for that.”

  


You look at her confused and she wiggles her eyebrows at you. “No. No way. Like you said he’s Sojiro-san’s heir. I’m just a servant.”

  


“Genji never had that problem,” says one of your other roommates.

  


“And you’re also a servant that saved their lives.” Haruhi reminded you. “Stop over thinking this. You have the Young Master’s eye. Enjoy it while you can.”

  


“But-“

  


“Ay!” She claps her hands in front of your face. “I can’t believe I have to tell this to someone who has travelled as much as you have, but live a little! Enjoy it. And believe me if he’s anything like his brother, you will enjoy it.” Haruhi winks and the other girls exchange knowing glances which causes you to blush.

  


Kohaku decides it is time to return to his master and floats to the window again but you notice something in his mouth. On closer inspection you recognize it as your stuffed kitten. You try to catch his tail before he slides his body fully out the window. “HEY! Give that-” You miss and the dragon sails into the night. You grumble and decide it can be collateral for the movies and book.

  


Meanwhile across the castle grounds Hanzo waits by his screen door for his dragon to return. Eventually he sees the blue glow sail through the air. He frowns when he sees something in his mouth. The dragon floats down and wraps his body around his master’s arm. As it sinks back into his skin the stuffed toy rests in his palm. Hanzo looks at the toy cat and frowns at his arm.

  


“You had one job.”


	4. Chapter 4

After that day Hanzo didn’t seem to want to flee from your sight as often. He would approach you for conversation and he took a bigger part in helping you train. Soon you realized that you two spent more of your day together than not. And yet you still felt there was something hanging between the two of you. There would be conversations where he would seem to be leading up to one thing only to change the subject. You also worried that one day he’d over heat. It seemed like his cheeks were always pink. One day, you had placed your hand on his forehead worried he had a fever only for him to go even pinker and unable to get a single word out for an hour. If you hadn’t seen the way he handled a weapon in a fight you would wonder if maybe his reputation had been a little over exaggerated.

  


Your training was progressing well. You’d become adequate enough with a bow and arrow to pass the exam which you thanked Hanzo for by pulling him into a hug and giving him a kiss on the cheek. The heir was stunned into silence for the rest of the day after that. While you had passed initial weapons training with flying colors you found comfort in blades. Keeping in mind the convert role you would take as an assassin your instructor focused on training you in hidden blades you could keep concealed in the folds of your clothes. When he started to train you in defending against projectile weapons, you found it tiring but doable. When those projectiles became rubber bullets, you were collapsing into your bed at night covered in bruises. Keeping up with your other duties as a servant became difficult as well but Haruhi and your other friends helped you pick up the slack. You were counting down the days until the cherry blossom festival. Sojiro was giving all the staff a day off to celebrate it and you were excited for a morning where you didn’t have to drag your aching body out of bed. 

  


Hanzo was also counting down the days but with more trepidation. He had been trying to ask you to the upcoming festival but every time he came face to face with you, he’d lose confidence. The one day he had worked up enough gumption to ask you, you had greeted him by throwing your arms around him and kissed him. KISSED HIM. HIM. Unfortunately he found it very difficult to remember how to speak after that. Then as the festival had approached nearer he saw how your training was starting to wear on you. You were struggling to stay awake during meals and you seemed to wince anytime you had to lift anything heavier than a tea pot. He had actually found you passed out while you had been dusting once. Worried for your health he would clean the parts of the castle he knew you were usually assigned to in the dead of night. If someone had told him when he was a young boy he’d be using his ninja skills to stealth clean he’d have cut them down. Genji was right, he was pathetic. When the day of the festival was almost upon him he didn’t have the heart to ask you to go with him. You looked so tired it didn’t feel right taking a day of rest from you.

  


On the day of, he was forced to attend a Hanami with the clan. Sojiro had even gotten Genji to show for his duties. Although that was not too hard to do when his duties involved eating, drinking, and socializing. From where the event was being held he could see where the servants were having their own Hanami. He watched you laugh through your exhaustion and enjoy the picnic you and your friends had made. It wasn’t long before he looked over and found you napping under the boughs of the cherry blossom, your friend Haruhi brushing petals from your face as they fell. He wished desperately that it was him caressing your face.

  


“Is that your dragon or are you just happy to see me?” Genji smirks.

  


Hanzo blinks at him confused before he registers the tingling in his arm. He looks down to see small jolts of electricity dancing up and down his left arm and the ghost image of sifting scales around his wrist. He jerks his sleeve down and schools his face into his usual grumpy mask.

  


“Hm.” Genji looks over to where your group is having their picnic. “Looks like she’s getting rested up for your date tonight. You better pull out all the stops tonight brother.”

  


“We aren’t going on a date. I never asked her.”

  


“WHAT!?!”

  


Hanzo hisses at him to be quiet.

  


“Brooootheeeeerrrrr…”

  


“Look at her Genji! She has been running on fumes. I’d much rather her get rest than drag her around Hanamura.”

  


Genji groans and pinches the bridge of his nose. “Fine but you are not spending the night moping in your room. Come to the festival with me tonight. It will be just like when we were boys.”

  


Hanzo thinks on it. As annoying as his little brother could be, he had fond memories of going to the different booths and watching the fireworks with him. Hanzo sighs and a small smile shows up on his face. “Alright. Just like old times.”

  


“Just like old times.” Genji reaches out and the two brothers share in the secret hand shake they hadn’t used in years.

  


Some things never changed.

  


Like Genji’s tardiness.

  


Hanzo taps his foot as he waits at the entrance to where the booths are lined up. He looked down at his watch to see his little brother was already fifteen minutes late. He growls as he starts to plan how he will be getting his revenge. As he scans the crowd again he is surprised to see you approaching. You wave when your eyes meet.

  


“Y-Y/N? What are you doing here?” he asks as you walk up to him.

  


“Genji asked me to give you this with his apologies.” You hold out a note which Hanzo takes.

  


He feels the vein in his temple pulse as he reads the letter.

  


You’re fucking welcome.   
Love the best little brother.

  


“Genjiiii…” Hanzo crumples the paper in his grip.

  


“Is it always this busy?” you ask looking around at the crowds.

  


He looks back up at you and his frustration melts away. “Oh. Yes. We’re famous for our Cherry Blossom Festival. It brings in a lot of tourism.”

  


“It looks like fun.”

  


“Would you like to…” He gulps down the lump in his throat. “…to join me? It would be an honor.”

  


You blush. “I-I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

  


“Genji has apparently left me to my own devices. Unless you are tired. I know you’ve been running yourself ragged.”

  


“Oh no. I took a long nap today. Much to my friends’ delights. I woke up with a mustache made in red bean paste. At least it tasted good.” You bite your tongue as you feel a ramble coming on. “B-but I’m fully rested now. I’d love to go to the festival with you.” A blush colors Hanzo’s cheeks and he holds out an arm to you. You take it and he walks you through the entrance. There are booths lining the street with food and games. He starts by buying you some takoyaki. You nearly melt it was so good. Conversation was a bit stunted at first but you both soon relaxed as he told you the history behind the festival and his childhood memories of the event. You told him about similar events you had been to during your time of drifting. Before you knew it you were both laughing and you were hanging off his arm. At one point he caught you staring at a large stuffed animal at a shooting booth. 

  


He stops and asks, “Do you want it?”

  


“Aren’t these games usually rigged?”

  


“Sometimes. Sometimes not.”

  


“Well then let’s find out.” You hand him your dongo and pay the attendee. You are given a gun and some corks. You aim at the stacked bottles and fire. You hit your mark but frown at the pitiful pressure the gun exudes. The bottles rattle but don’t fall. You aim higher and knock off the top bottle. With another shot you get the next tier. You pick out a little stuffed okami on a key chain.

  


“I guess that answers that.” You spin your prize on your finger.

  


Hanzo hands you both dongos and smirks. “My turn.” He pays the attendee and loads up the cork rifle, ignoring the spare shots he is given. You arch an eyebrow as Hanzo points it, not taking any care to aim. Then the hair on the back of your neck starts to raise. That’s when you see the part of his tattoo that is poking out from under his sleeve is glowing. The attendee sees this too and plasters himself against the wall of the booth. Hanzo’s smile turns almost feral. “Ryuu ga waga teki wo kurau!” He fires and the cork shoots out in a ball of flames as Kohaku swirls around it. It crashes into the bottles shattering them and keeps going through the back wall of the booth. Hanzo points to the big monster plush you had been staring at. “I’ll take that one.”

  


The attendee practically throws the plush at him and Hanzo turns to you with a smile like he just ate the canary.

  


A laugh bubbles out of your throat. “I’m pretty sure that’s cheating.”

  


“I’m pretty sure yakuza don’t care about rules.” He trades the dongos for the stuffed toy and you nuzzle into its fuzzy pelt.

  


“It’s soooo sooooft. Here. As a thank you.” You shifted the toy and hold out the small stuffed keychain you had won. 

  


He takes it and gives you a small bow. “I will treasure it.”

  


You take back your dongo and smile. Your evening continues as he takes you to the different games and you essentially eat your way through Hanamura. At one point you and him find a booth with karaoke and discover neither one of you should be allowed near a mic ever again. As the night went on and it grew closer to when the fireworks would be released the crowd grew denser. You had to lean around a lot of people to get a view and even then it wasn’t that great. You feel a touch to your arm and Hanzo leans in so you can hear him over the crowd.

  


“Let me show you the best place to view the fireworks.” He leads you away from the crowd. When you are alone in an empty street he picks up speed. You follow him down an alley. When he reaches the end he turns and interlocks his fingers holding his hands down in a cradle. You get the message and step into his grip. He shoots you upward and you land on the roof. Thank the heavens you weren’t wearing sandals. Hanzo scaled the wall and you were following him again. From your vantage point you could tell you were approaching the edge of the city. He finally stops on the flat roof of the visitors’ center. It’s the tallest building outside of the castle grounds and gives you a sweeping view of the preserved city and the glowing towers of the large metropolis that presses at its borders.

  


You are admiring the view when Hanzo walks over to some mechanical units by the roof access. You hear him grumble about something until he pulls up a duffel bag in victory. “Ah-ha!”

  


He walks back over to you and pulls out a thick blanket to spread out on the rooftop. You both sit down and Hanzo hands you a water bottle. You take a swig. “Did you plan for us to end up here?”

  


“No. My brother keeps this up here for when he does not wish to return to the castle.”

  


“Really? What all does he keep in here?” You dig through the duffle bag. “Let’s see, game pad, Blue Bull, a flash light, shuriken…sunscreen?” You pull out a bottle and what you thought was packets of wet wipes. You blush when you see what they really are. You look up and meet Hanzo’s eyes. You both turn red like tomatoes. You throw the lube and condoms back in the bag and look back to the castle hugging your plush to your chest. Hanzo tosses the bag somewhere behind you.

  


You are trying to find something to say when Hanzo speaks up.

  


“You know the fireworks tell the story of the two dragons.”

  


“You mean the one that is in the great hall?”

  


“Yes. The great dragon brothers. The dragon of the north wind and the dragon-“

  


“Of the south wind. Together they upheld balance and harmony in the heavens. But the two brothers argued over who could better rule their land. Their quarrel turned to rage and their violent struggle darkened the skies,” You recite. “I’ve been here long enough to have heard the legend. Plus I’ve cleaned that room so many times I can recite those panels in my sleep. I remember thinking you all thought mighty highly of yourselves to say you were descended from dragons. Boy was I wrong.”

  


He chuckles. “Not entirely. We do think highly of ourselves.”

  


“But you also have your dragons to rip the throat out of anyone that calls you on it.” You smirk at him.

  


“You’d never have to fear that. I would never allow anyone to lay a hand on you. I’d cut them down if they even tried.”

  


Your smirk fades as you stare into his eyes. They’re harder than steel and you realize that you are seeing a glimpse of the man that everyone fears. You feel unable to move under that intense stare.

  


“That-That kind of defeats the purpose of me becoming an assassin. A lot of people are going to try to lay their hands on me.”

  


“Father wants you to become a hidden snake. That means you’d stay at the castle where I could protect you.”

  


“So you’d have me become a useless bauble you can keep on your shelf? A decoration with no purpose?”

  


“You’d have purpose. You’d have anything you wanted.”

  


“My purpose is to protect you and your family. Hanzo,” You turn to face him fully. “I don’t know what this is between us but if it’s going to thrive you can’t put it in a glass box. It needs to breathe, I need to breathe. There is a reason I’ve spent most of my life traveling. My time here in Hanamura is the longest I’ve ever stayed. And I think that’s because of the people here. Haruhi, her mother, you and your brother…I don’t regret my actions that day with those men, don’t make me regret letting myself get close to you.”

  


You hold his stare until he looks away, his shoulders slumping. He gives you a small nod. The steel that was in his body only moments before is gone and he seems defeated. His hands are clenched tightly into fists over this thighs. You reach out a hand but pause, not entirely sure what you wanted to do. But then you have one of your “Brain? What’s a brain?” moments and take his face between your hands. You turn him to face you again and kiss him. Hard. You run your tongue along the seam of his lips and that seems to release some sort of flood gate. He opens his lips and groans into your mouth. His arms snake around you, pulling you into his lap. You run the pads of your thumbs along his cheeks bones and stare into his eyes. You start to think whiskey brown maybe your new favorite color. You loved his eyes so much. The color, the energy, and emotion they held.

  


You hadn’t realized you had stopped kissing him until he ducked down to bite and suck at your neck. You reclined back in his grasp and warmth pooled in your belly. His hands grabbed at you. One along your back to help you keep balance, the other groped at the meat of your thigh as it made a slow procession upward. Your eyes drifted closed as his mouth moved along your neck to your clavicle, working on one side then the other, leaving a string of bruises.

  


They shot open again as a bang cracked through the air and the sky lit up. Your eyes widen as you watch the fireworks in the sky above you. You turn your head to watch shots sail into the air from the castle, another gift from the Shimada clan to the people of Hanamura. The sky was filled with color. Blues, greens and yellows painted the night sky in bursts. Hanzo kissed his way back up your throat until his face was alongside yours. He pulled you into a more upright position and rested his chin on your shoulder. That’s how you stayed, watching the fireworks with him coiled around you.

  


After the show you both made it back to the castle. Instead of returning to your quarters Hanzo brought you to his. The castle is still quiet when you return. He pulls open the door and you slip inside. You look around the spacious bedroom, neat as always. Hanzo’s room was always a favorite amoung the cleaning staff. It usually only required a quick dusting, a vacuum, and emptying his waste bins. Everything had its place.

  


“Sooooo where do I put-” You are cut off as he slots his mouth over yours, swallowing your words.

  


He pulls the large plush from your grip and sets it on the floor by your feet. Then he scoops you up and walks to his bed. He sets you down on the mattress pressing soft kisses to your lips and face. His hands glide up your sides bunching up your shirt. You arch your back into his hands as he kneads at your chest. You pull at his obi till it loosens and then reach up to slide his yukata off his broad shoulders. His fingers push up your bra so he can tweak and pinch at your nipples. He then trails kisses along your jaw. Your fingers trace along the lines of his tattoo following it down from his shoulder to his wrist. You feel the muscles twitch and he groans into your ear. Your fingers start to make their way back up the painted scales when he grabs your wrist and pins it to the bed. That prickling feeling from earlier is back on your neck as you watch that inked dragon give a soft blue glow.

  


“You shouldn’t tease a dragon.” He growls. You look up and see his brown eyes glint blue in a predatory gaze. “You might get bit.” His head dives down and he bites your throat.

  


You gasp. “If you get that excited from me touching your arm just wait till I get my hands on your other dragon.”

  


A low growl rumbles throw his chest and he slides your shirt and bra up and over your head. They get tangled around your arms and head but he leaves you to get loose on your own as he kisses his way down your body. He licks a long hot stripe from a nipple to your bellybutton making it hard to focus on untangling your limbs. As he slips off your pants and underwear he kisses each bruise and cut he can reach. He tosses them aside and his own clothes are soon to follow. You just get your arms free when he lifts your legs onto his shoulders and nips at your thighs. He locks gazes with you as he makes his way to your center.

  


“Where was this fire the last few months?” you ask gasping.

  


“You weren’t mine to take…and…well I don’t have much experience luring women in. But getting them to stay? I have a few tricks up my sleeve for that.” He delves down and licks from the bottom of your opening to your clit.

  


You bite your lip and whine.

  


He licks at your clit again with a long stroke and then follows it with a couple flicks. His hands grip onto your hips to keep you from wiggling too much. Then you feel the pressure as he sucks and nips. Your hands fly down, twisting in his long hair. His mouth works at your clit interspersing his broad licks with sharp bites or hard sucks, occasionally licking the lips around your entrance. It doesn’t take long before you are throwing your head back and forth, whining into the mattress. The pressure builds, coiled tight in that bundle of nerves. Every time you felt like you were about to snap though he’d ease up on the pressure causing you to tear up in frustration. After an hour of bringing you to the edge and easing up you give his hair a sharp tug. He looks up at you and arches a brow.

  


“Enough.” You sob. “Just do it. Pleeeeaase.”

  


He smiles against your flesh and then doubles his efforts at eating you out, delving his tongue in and out of your opening before licking back up to your clit. Finally you dive over the edge as tremors shake your body. You turn your head and cry into the sheets. Hanzo waits patiently for your trembling to subside before he kisses his way up your body.

  


As he reaches over into a drawer in his nightstand, you say, “That was mean.”

  


He tears open the foil packet and rolls on the condom. “Heir to a criminal syndicate remember?” He lays down alongside you again and ghosts his fingertips down your stomach, licking at the tear tracks leaking from your eyes. You roll your hips and he slips in a finger. He pumps it in and out of you a couple times before sliding in another. They scissor you open, massaging your walls. Your hips jerk and he gets another whine out of you as he whispers in your ear. About what, your blissed out mind has trouble processing. You just listen to the low rumble of his voice. Letting it sink into you and vibrate the shell of your ear. He slips a third finger in when you catch the words, “I’m going to make sure you’re nice and ready for me. You just need to be a little looser.” Your hooded eyes snap open at that. “Oh fuck that.” You swing your body up and over so his fingers slip out and you are straddling him. “I’m not letting you torture me for another hour. You. Are.” You wrap a hand around his erection. “Fucking. Me.” You align yourself and sink down with a groan. “Noooooow. Ooooh.”

  


There’s an uncomfortable pressure but there’s no pain. You flex your stomach muscles and pull a groan from your dragon. He slides his hands up your calves and rests his hands on the backs of your knees. Once you grow accustomed to his size you push yourself up and plunge down again. You smirk when you see him grit his teeth and roll his hips. You move faster and faster as you feel that coil wrap tight again. He grunts when you rake your nails down the right side of his chest, leaving angry red marks. You try squeezing your walls and grinding down more. A smile spreads as you get a reaction and he grips your hips holding you still. You gasp as he starts pistonning into you. Your nails dig into his shoulders as you hold on for balance. You’re moaning and gasping as that coil twists tighter and tighter in you. Then it snaps and you go taunt again, your toes curling. You spasm around him and he slams you down. Fucking you with shallow thrusts through your climax.

  


You lower yourself forward and rest your cheek against his clawed up shoulder. You keep rocking forward as he continues to fuck into you. He’s only behind a handful of thrusts before he’s groaning and jerking inside you. You pinch and pull at his nipple as his hips twitch through his orgasm. When he finally stops moving he runs a hand up and down your back. The other cradles the back of your head and presses your face closer to his neck.

  


“I don’t know why the girls keep giggling about Genji,” you say between gasps of breaths. “If you’re going to be fucked by a Shimada, you’re clearly the one to go to.”

  


He chuckles and kisses the top of your head. “Did I hurt you?” “No. Although we can’t say that about myself can we?” You run a finger along a deep groove in his shoulder.

  


He takes your hand and brings it to his mouth for a kiss before threading his fingers between your own. “They were worth it my little Koneko.”

  


You smile as you drift to sleep.

  


When your eyes flutter open again you see light leaking in from the window. Dawn has been and gone and judging by the birds outside you’d guess it was well into the morning. A light snore brings your attention above you. After you had fallen asleep Hanzo had tucked you under the covers and judging by the lack of stickiness between your thighs he seems to have cleaned you up as well. What gentleman. You’re both laying on your sides with your face nuzzled in his chest and his arm thrown over your side, holding you close to him.

  


As peaceful as your dragon looks you decide to get a little pay back. You trail a hand down and start to palm his cock. As it hardens you reach another hand down and start to stroke. 

  


A tired growl rumbles through his chest before he mumbles, “Koneko, if you keep doing that we’re going to have a very big problem.”

  


“I’m a big girl.” You mouth at his jaw. “I think I can handle it.”

  


He smiles and buries his face in your hair.

  


You both jump when the door is thrown open with a load clack. Hanzo pulls the covers up over your head and practically rolls on top of you to keep you hidden from the intruder. His body is tense and ready to lash out. His left arm gives a soft glow under the covers.

  


“Oh shit. You must have had a good time last night if you’re still in bed,” says Genji in his ever cheerful voice.

  


“Leave. NOW,” Hanzo growls.

  


“Come ooon. You have to give me details! It’s the least you can do after I set…you…up. Is that bra?” The green haired ninja asks as he catches sight of two sets of neatly folded clothes at the foot of the bed.

  


You dig your head out from under the covers and peak over Hanzo’s shoulder. “Yes. Genji, can you maybe give us another couple hours?”

  


“Oh shit!” He looks away and starts heading to the door. “So sorry Y/N. Take your time. I’ll just go now. Enjoy your morning with my brother. Goodbye.” With that he leaves, closing the door behind him.

  


“Why did he only apologize to you?” Hanzo continues to glare at the doorway.

  


“Because you’re his older brother. It’s his job to annoy you.” You push him back enough so he’s not laying on you. “Me on the other hand, he knows handles his food. Now, where were we? Oh yes.” You dive under the covers and suddenly Genji is the very last thing on Hanzo’s mind for the next hour and a half.

  


The two of you after that decided it was best to keep your relationship behind closed doors. You continued your training and Hanzo carried on with his duties. Soon you were a full-fledged assassin and you did well amoung the ranks much to the elders’ displeasure according to Genji. Your shifts are scheduled mostly around the brothers. Primarily Hanzo since Genji was always disappearing off to live his playboy lifestyle. Usually he was only around in the morning when you brought them breakfast.

  


“Your father left early this morning but asked you to read these.” You hand Hanzo a folder along with his breakfast.

  


“Thank you.” As he takes the folder his other hand reaches over and gives your ass a squeeze.

  


You swat his shoulder, fighting a smirk.

  


“Helloooooo everyone!” Genji says as he comes in with the clothes he was wearing yesterday. “Good morning brother. Sister.” Genji leans over and kisses your cheek.

  


You take out a handkerchief and wipe away at the lipstick smudges on his neck. “You two know nothing about subtly do you? And I’m not your sister.” You go to get his food from the trolley.

  


“What? You mean my brother still hasn’t made an honest woman of you yet?”

  


“Putting a hunk of metal on my finger will make me no more honest than I already am.”

  


He chuckles. “Fair enough.”

  


“Where were you last night?” Hanzo asks glaring at his brother. “You were supposed to come to the territory negotiation.”

  


“I was having my own negotiation with a set of twins.” You set Genji’s food down in front of him and reach over to lift Hanzo’s cup up in an attempt to stop spilling as he slams his fist down on the table.

  


“Damn it! Genji! Stop messing around. When will you own up to your responsibilities and start acting like your age instead of a child.”

  


“Oh the things I did last night were hardly the acts of child. And I’ll stop acting like a child when you stop acting like an old man!”

  


You sigh and go back to make a fresh pot of tea. You add a bit of alcohol for calming measures.

  


“Not all of us are coddled by our father. Some of us have duties to the clan we are expected to keep!”

  


“You need to learn to relax more. Live a little. Look at me, I have the time of my life kicking butt at the arcade, gambling, pretty men and women on my arm every night. You can count the number of people you’ve had on a single hand.”

  


You weren’t too fond of the direction this conversation was going so as you went to pour Genji his tea you accidently spill some in his lap making him yelp. “My apologies Young Master.”

  


He gives you a sheepish smile and dabs at the damp spot on his pants.

  


“I’m perfectly happy with the current state of my sex life.” Hanzo growls. He sets a warm hand on your thigh when you move to refill his cup, rubbing in small circles with his thumb.

  


“And I’m sure you are. You’re very lucky. But that doesn’t change the fact I get to experience a new partner every night.” He wiggles his eyebrows which causes that vein in Hanzo’s temple to bulge.

  


“Every night?” You ask.

  


“Every niiiight.” Genji’s smirk widens.

  


“Interesting.” You look off with a thoughtful look.

  


His smirk drops. “What?”

  


“Well I mean it’s just…” You swipe a piece of fish from Hanzo’s plate and eat it. “You sleep with different people every night and none of them come back?”

  


“Well, I’m more of a one night stand kind of guy.”

  


“Hm.”

  


Hanzo slides his plate closer to you then holds out his chopsticks. You take them and nibble at his rice.

  


“HM? What’s hm?”

  


“I just…well…when we negotiate sales for our drug shipments the bulk of the profit doesn’t come from the middle life crisis one time buyers. It comes from the dealers who come back because they keep selling out product.” You take a bit of fish and feed it to Hanzo who tightens his grip on your thigh. He arches a brow at you as he eats what you offer him. “I mean numbers don’t lie the sheer volume you have is impressive and certainly nothing to snuff at. And there is nothing wrong if you want multiple partners that’s your life. It’s just…having people come back for more I always thought was a good indicator to product quality is all.”

  


Genji is silent as he mulls over your words. “…they’d come back…if I ever stayed…”

  


“That’s good to hear.”

  


He stays silent just watching you and Hanzo share a meal. Then suddenly he is bolting up and leaving. You see him whip out his phone to text as he disappears through the door.

  


Hanzo lets out a huff of a laugh. “I think you just shamed Genji into monogamy.”

  


“I heard your father talking to the elders. They’re getting more unsettled by his behavior,” you say in a soft voice.

  


“And no doubt my father defended his Sparrow,” Hanzo grumbles and sips at his soup. “Again.”

  


“He doesn’t want part of this life.”

  


“He was born to it. He has no choice or perhaps that’s just me.”

  


“You don’t want to be the heir?” You’d never heard him speak this way about his position before.

  


“I was never given the choice!” He puts the cup of soup down hard enough for the foot to chip. “Father lets Genji do whatever he wishes while he has me reading manuscripts about strategy and war tactics!”

  


You watch him for moment as he glares at his plate. You reach over and cover the hand that is still griping the cup. He looks up at you and his gaze softens into a tired expression.

  


He sighs. “I’m sorry. I do not begrudge my role. It is my duty to lead the clan after our father and I will do so without complaint.”

  


“You just wish he had fought as hard for your interests as your brother.”

  


He chuckles. “Do not make it sound like I am pining for my father’s love. I do not need it, I have his pride and respect.”

  


You wrap your arms around his neck and hug him close.

  


He smiles and runs his hand along your arm. “So emotional.”

  


“I do it for the both of us.” You nuzzle your face against his and he returns the gesture.


	5. Chapter 5

Things didn’t change much after that. You carried on with your lives. Although Genji did make a point of introducing you to whoever he dated for more than a week, and dropping hints about how satisfied they were. Hanzo took on more responsibility with the family and promotes you to his personal body guard. Any who tried to harm your dragon fell before your twin blades. Your ferociousness and skill eventually earned you the title of The Dragon’s Scales. You were almost never apart. Which you think is half the reason he promoted you to his personal guard. The both of you always kept professional appearances in public but he would brush his fingertips against yours if you handed him anything or you would pretend to whisper something in his ear just to ghost your lips over the flesh there. The best perks came when you were alone. As his personal bodyguard it was expected that you would be left alone with him during various points in the day. In those moments your hands barely left each other. Despite your caution though, your relationship was about the worst kept secret in Shimada Castle. The elders’ disapproval was constant and you were well aware of that. They barely tolerated your presence in the ranks, thinking a maid had no place there. The fact that you were fucking the heir was clearly you overstepping your boundaries. Hanzo was glad to see his father advocate for the two of you saying as long as you both did your duties, did them well, and kept it from the eyes of enemies he saw no reason to step in as of yet. He also made sure to pull you aside and assure you that he was glad you made his dower son so happy. He’d also make little comments to Hanzo about how you’d produce strong heirs and he’d nag his son demanding to know how long he’d have to wait for grandkids. It always turned the two of you to stuttering messes and Genji would devolve to a heap of laughter.

  


And then Sojiro and some of his closest men died in a bombing. It wounded you all deeply. Despite Genji’s vow to stay out of the business, even he joined in the hunt for his father’s killers. Under Hanzo’s leadership you found the perpetrators quickly enough and avenged your fallen leader. That was only the start of your troubles though. While Hanzo had earned the respect of much of the clan with his years of service, the elders fought him at every turn. Everything he did was brought under scrutiny and because of this his authority with the men was undercut. A lot of the men that would have trusted him implicitly died with Sojiro in the blast. Because of this you were often sent out on many missions and oversaw deals. Your poor dragon couldn’t get a moments rest. And then the elders made the decision that Genji was a liability. And of course Genji was his spirited self about it. You would often hear the two arguing. So when you came to answer a summons you were not surprised to hear raised voices.

  


“YOU ARE A FOOL!”

  


“I’D RATHER BE A FOOL THAN A PUPPET!”

  


There was a loud crash and you opened the door to see Hanzo gripping his younger brother by the front of his shirt. You step in and close the door with a snap. They both glance at you and Hanzo tosses him away.

  


Genji straightens out his shirt and glares at him. “Sister, so glad you’re here. Kindly get your dragon under control.”

  


Hanzo growls and you see a telltale blue glow under his sleeve.

  


“I will do no such thing,” you say stepping up between them. “He’s our superior. I do what he says. Not the other way around.” You then give him a swift smack to the back of the head.

  


“Oooow!”

  


“And stop calling me sister. You know I am not a viable candidate to marry into your family.”

  


“Because some old timers say so?” He turns to his brother. “Are you really so-OWOWOWOW!”

  


You drag out the green haired trouble maker by his ear into the hall. You close the door behind you and throw him into the opposite wall.

  


“My brother may be the leader but I’m still a Shimada too you know,” he grumbles rubbing his ear.

  


“You know nothing of the allowances your father and brother have made for you,” you say in a harsh whisper into his face. “The veracity he uses to defend you. You may not respect them but those ‘old timers’ still have much of the power in the clan and right now they see you as a liability.” You sigh and cup his face. “Your brother is doing what he can for you but he is facing resistance from all sides. He loves you but his duty is to the clan and if he is forced to take action against you it will break him. It will break me. Please. Don’t fight him in this.”

  


Genji gives you a soft smile and takes your hands in his. “I’m sorry Y/N but I just can’t. I don’t want any part of our family’s dirty dealings. It’s not in me. I’m not like you and Hanzo. Now don’t worry, I’ll be okay. I always am.” Video game music starts to play. You look down and realize it is Genji’s phone. He kisses your knuckles and steps away. “You just look after my brother for me. He needs you.” With that he gives you a bow and walks away, answering his phone. “Well howdy there cowboy. How can I help you?” You sigh and return to Hanzo’s office. He is sitting at his desk looking at the records. You sit down across from him and place the fallen pen holder and lamp back on the table top. Your attention is diverted when a glowing blue body wraps around you. You smile when he starts nuzzling your face.

  


“You know what you mean to me yes?” Hanzo asks in a soft voice.

  


“I do. But I am well aware that I don’t meet the elder’s pedigree standards.”

  


“They know you’re valuable to the organization. Your skills are undeniable.”

  


“I’m not going anywhere Hanzo. I will always be loyal to you,” you say as you run a hand along Kohaku’s body. Out of the corner of your eye you see Hanzo’s tattooed arm twitch. “Now I don’t think you summoned me here to give Genji a stern talking to.”

  


“I need you to go to Chiba. Overlook operations there for a little while.” He hands you a few spread sheets.

  


“Anything in particular I should be overlooking?”

  


“Soburu-san’s numbers don’t sit right with me. I suspect he’s stealing from us.”

  


“And if he is?”

  


“I trust you to take care of it.”

  


You nod in understanding and fold up the sheets. “Maybe I should take Genji with me.”

  


“He won’t go.”

  


“He might if I ask. Say I’m nervous.”

  


“You haven’t been nervous about a mission since your first one.”

  


“I’m nervous about all this.”

  


“Our duty is to the clan. We must carry out their will.”

  


You sigh and stand. Then you lean over and kiss his cheek letting Kohaku slide from you to his master. “I’ll try and finish this up as soon as I can.”

  


“Be careful Koneko.” He grips your chin and gives you a forceful kiss on the lips.

  


You turn and leave trailing your hand behind so you two can remain touching until the very last moment.

  


How you had wished you had just stayed. Maybe things would have turned out different.

  


It took longer than you wanted to clean up the Chiba branch. The minute you resolve the issues in Chiba you race back to Shimada Castle. As you walk through the front gates you can already feel something is off. Tension hung heavy in air. You walk down the halls with your team behind you meaning to report to Hanzo but on the way you pass Haruhi. You had remained close with many of your friends from the staff, Haruhi especially, but when you were working you remained professional. You pause when you see Haruhi is struggling to hold back tears.

  


“Hit the showers,” you say over your shoulder. “Get some rest. You all earned it. I’ll do the report myself.” You wait until they move on before you go over to Haruhi. “What’s wrong? Did something happen while we were gone?”

  


“It’s G-Genji...” She sobs into your shoulder.

  


Your stomach drops. “What about Genji?”

  


“He’s…He’s…He’s dead.”

  


“What? H-How?” Tears started to build up in your eyes. Genji couldn’t be gone. You saw him before you left. He was Genji like always.

  


“Master Hanzo killed him.”

  


What? “Haruhi you’re not making sense. Hanzo loves his brother.”

  


“Not as much as he loves the clan,” she hisses.

  


Your heart stops and your chest feels like it’s being constricted. The elders. They had made their decision. “Whe-where is he?”

  


“Me and some of the girls took care of his body.”

  


“I meant Hanzo,” you say in a small voice.

  


She shoots you a glare. She and Genji weren’t extremely close but he had always been kind to the staff. You can understand why she’d be upset about you asking about his murderer. “He’s holed up in his room. Hasn’t left since last night.”

  


You take a deep breath and give Haruhi a tight hug. “Take the evening off. My orders.”

  


She shakes her head and wipes at her eyes. “I need- I need the distraction.”

  


You give her one more hug before leaving for Hanzo’s chambers. When you came to the door your eyes zeroed in on a smear of blood along the edge. “Hanzo?” When you receive no answer you tried the door. It was unlocked so you slipped in. You weren’t prepared for the sight before you.

  


Hanzo was sitting on the floor propped up against his desk surrounded by empty sake bottles. He was still in his combat gear, covered in blood and staring into space. You cover your mouth suddenly feeling sick when you realize who the blood belongs to. You take a deep breath and step closer. The room looks like a storm had rolled through. Gone was the rigid order. You step around empty bottles, discarded books, and broken picture frames. You kneel down next to him and start to reach a hand out before he speaks.

  


“Was your assignment successful?”

  


You lowered your hand, wilting at his cold, detached tone. “Yes. Urameshi is now heading operations in the Chiba branch.”

  


“Acceptable. You can leave now.” He takes a swig from the bottle dangling from his fingers.

  


“I’m not going any-“

  


“I said leave,” he snaps.

  


“No.”

  


“LEAVE ME! I don’t need a whore questioning me!” he goes stiff as the words leave his mouth, not realizing what he is saying until it’s out.

  


You flinch almost like he’s slapped you. It certainly feels like it. The tears that had been building in your eyes spill over. You snap at him, “You are lucky I am more stubborn than hurt.”

  


His fists tighten and he squeezes his eyes shut causing tears to trail down his sharp cheek bones. When he speaks again his voice is broken and wavers. “Leave me. I will only hurt you. I destroy everything around me…” He sobs and you wrap your arms around him. You squeeze him tight and bury your face in his hair. He squeezes back.

  


A soft blue glow lights up the room. You look up to see coils floating around the two of you. You are forced to take a second look when you realize there are too many coils. You look around you and realize you’re not being circled by one dragon but two. It suddenly all comes crashing down on you. You pull him close and bury your face in his hair again, and wept. You wept for your dragon that had been killed and you wept for your dragon that broke his own soul because of it.

  


You both stayed like that for hours. When the castle was quiet and you had cried yourself dry you pulled away. You stand and urge Hanzo up onto his feet.

  


“Come on. Let’s get you cleaned up,” you say in a voice barely above a whisper.

  


He doesn’t say anything but lets you tug him towards the on suite bathroom. The two dragons continue to go around you two in lazy circles. You set him down on the stool and fill up the tub. One dragon stays with Hanzo who leans against the wall staring off. The other follows you and knocks against your cheek.

  


You try to swallow a sob and give the creature a pat. “I’ll be ok-okay.” Your voice breaks on the last word but you just go back to your dragon and peel him out of his bloody clothes. You toss them into the corner before unhooking the spray and washing stray splatters from his body. When you’ve washed the red from his body you help him up and get him into the tub, shutting off the faucet. 

  


You turn away to wash the blood that had rubbed off on you only to be jerked back and pulled into the tub still fully clothed. Before your mind can right itself Hanzo’s lips are on yours. His arms wrap around you as he pulls you to his chest. His mouth moves to attack your neck allowing you to gasp for air. You feel his hand slide up your torso to palm at your breast.

  


“H-Hanzo…” You wiggle in his grip unable to process the sensations suddenly jolting through your body. “Hanzo!”

  


He kisses down your throat before burying his face in your shoulder. His onslaught stops but he coils his arms tighter around you. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs into your shoulder as he starts to tremble. “I just…I need to feel you…I need to know-”

  


“Shhhhh. I know.” You take his face between your hands and bring his lips to yours.

  


Your kisses are slow and languid. As your lips brush over and over he maneuvers your body to the end the tub, looming over you. His fingers work to divest you of your clothes getting frustrated when the cloth seems to rather stick to your skin. Eventually he gets you naked below him and wraps your legs around his waist. You gasp as he slides into you. He lays against you pinning you to the bath wall and mouths at your shoulder as you adjust around him. When he finally starts moving it’s a roll of hips. Moving slowly and shallow thrusts, wanting to remain in contact with as much of your body he can. Your heart beating against his chest, provides a small comfort to his aching soul.

  


You were alive.

  


He still had you.

  


You were still here.


	6. Chapter 6

Hanzo was never the same after that. While Genji’s death left you with a hollowness that made it difficult to eat even a bowl of rice, Hanzo turned hard and vicious. He was never as open as he once was and you never saw him smile anymore. The best you ever got out of him was a small tired smirk. He became harsher and cruel to those around him, his dragons (which you had renamed Ko and Haku) were always in a state of defensiveness and agitation. Almost overnight he became the most feared crime boss in Japan. Nobody dared say a word against him. It made you sick to your stomach when you heard the elders say how proud they are to see him grow into the role. He also became more possessive and protective of you though. He almost never lets you out of his sight and he fires you as his bodyguard even though you still act as his right hand. Hanzo takes over all your missions. While he is gone you handle his administration duties. You try to tell him that he has no reason to take you out of the field but it is hard to make the argument when your stomach constantly feels like it’s doing back flips. You started to get worried when he’d go on more and more assignments. It got to the point where you’d go days without seeing him but would be instructed by guards not to leave the premises without an escort. Finally you decided you had had enough of him both trying to avoid you and yet also keep you trapped in his little box. The man couldn’t look you in the eye anymore but he thought he could keep tabs on where you went? So you waited in his chambers to confront him ready to remind him of the agreement you had made years ago on that roof top.

  


And you waited.

  


Then you went looking for him starting with his last mission.

  


You’d gone to the enemy drug den only to find it decimated. You’d only seen dragons and omnic war machines create the level of destruction you saw. You went on the hunt looking for him. The closest you ever got was an abandoned hideout with a note telling you to stop looking. That you’re better off without him. He can’t look at you anymore.

  


Then the stick read positive.

  


You thought about what you were going to do but were at a lost. What were you going to do with a child? Let alone a Shimada child. The HEIR Shimada child. You were still mulling it over when the elders summoned you to discuss Hanzo’s absence.

  


“I wouldn’t go in there if I were you.” Sho drawls as you head to the council room.

  


You stop and fight the urge to groan. Over the years Hanzo had kept Sho at bay but whenever the Shimada’s had their back turned he always made it very clear you were still a viable rung on his ladder to the top. This made any interactions you had with him painfully troublesome. “And why is that?”

  


“Well they’re not summoning you to find out if you can bring the South Dragon back. They’re getting rid of you.”

  


You turn back to the smug bastard. “Excuse me?”

  


“Hanzo’s been declared a fugitive. He’s no longer a Shimada. And the elders seem to be under the impression you’re too big for your britches. No way a personality like yours, just goes back to being a quiet foot soldier. Soooo…”

  


Your stomach does a sudden fit of twists. “Why are you telling me this? I’ve made it very clear how I feel about you and you have no loyalty to the Shimadas. Your blade goes to whoever has the most power.”

  


“Right but sometimes the people in power aren’t the ones with the most. I’m smart enough to know you don’t take on a dragon. They only got rid of Genji because they could control Hanzo by two points. One was his sense of duty which he has obviously abandoned now. The other was you and while he left you here I don’t think he all together let you go. Getting rid of you only serves to put me in the dragon’s crosshairs.”

  


“So if I ever find him you’d want me to remember this moment huh?” You glared.

  


“You scratch mine, I scratch yours.”

  


You sneer at his words but think about your options. You had more than yourself to think about now. Yes you could call his bluff and see what the elders really want but if you’re wrong, it’s not just your life that ends. So you don’t risk it.

  


You run back to your quarters to pack a small duffle and then you disappear through the hidden passages that you had been so acquainted with as a maid. Once again you were out on the streets with almost nothing. And this time you had the added bonus of being pregnant. Somehow you didn’t think dumpster diving was going to be that good for the kid. Right now your focus was getting out of the elder’s reach. You left Hanamura and made your way to the north. You couldn’t bring yourself to leave the country though. What if he came looking for you? He wouldn’t. But what if he did?

  


You had thought of looking for Hanzo but the elders had bounties out on your heads. Looking for him would no doubt be walking into the line of fire and you had to think of your child now. You bounce around for a while going from job to job, keeping your head down, using every trick you had for being forgettable, but by the time you’re nearing the end of your third trimester you settle in Rumoi. You get a job at an antique store running the store front and live in a tiny apartment down the block. You spend the long months looking over your shoulder and the few doctors you feel safe enough to see are always worrying about your blood pressure. Then you go into labor a month early.

  


The next seventeen hours became the most terrifying of your existence. You whimper and moan through it with only the midwife and nurses to help you. You spend the whole time wishing you had your dragon. You’re distraught when you find out you can’t hold your baby, feeling like you’re that little girl again wandering the streets with nowhere to go and no one to turn to. The doctors assure you that while your daughter is a little behind developmentally she just needs time to catch up. You sit next to her incubator for hours on end before the nurses drag you back to bed. And then when of one them finds out you’re doing this alone without even a crib waiting for you at home, they throw you a baby shower. You were embarrassed at how much you cried. Your daughter was a strong one. It took a couple weeks but she was out of the incubator sooner than the doctors had predicted. The minute they put her in your arms you couldn’t feel the jagged hole that the Shimadas had left in your chest. Your world focused around this little girl with a thick head of hair the same shade as yours and with a grip that seemed to try and crush whatever was put there. But when she opened her eyes that hole ripped right back open. His eyes were staring back at you, reminding you of everything you’d lost. You decided to name her Ryuuko. It didn’t seem to right to name her anything else. Even if it was a bit uncreative.

  


By the time she was almost a year and a half old you found out the Shimada crime syndicate had been dismantled. You and Ryry had celebration cupcakes for the occasion. You entertained the idea of looking for Hanzo but the risk was still there. The syndicate was gone but the people and their grudges were still around. And now that you had Ryry she would be an irresistible target. Best case scenario, they kill you and take her. Twisting her like they twisted Hanzo. You weren’t risking your little girl. Maybe when she was older. When you had taught her how to fight. All your decisions are made for you when Sho shows up on your doorstep when Ryry is three.

  


“What are you doing here?” You shift to fill as much of the doorway as you can.

  


“Is that anyway to greet an old friend?” He smirks. That same slimy smirk.

  


“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?”

  


His smile falls. “I’m cashing in that favor you owe me. I’m building my own empire now and could use a little more muscle.”

  


“You really think Hanzo would help you with anything?”

  


“I think he’d be grateful for what I did for you.”

  


“Well jokes on you because I don’t know where he is.”

  


“You expect me to think that after all this time you haven’t tracked him down? The man you were practically attached by the hip to? Well…I suppose you were literally attached at some points.”

  


Your hand twitches and you just barely restrain yourself from decking him. You had to think of Ryry. Always think of how this affects Ryry. No fights that may bring her into the fray. “What can I say? He’s a stubborn man. Always has been. Never found him.”

  


You panic when you hear wooden blocks crash together behind you.

  


Sho glares. “Oh? Then who might that be?”

  


Sho shoves you to the floor and you curse for letting yourself get soft and slow. You rush after him as he storms past you. He stops in shock when he sees Ryuuko playing with her blocks. She looks up at him with confused wide eyes. Eyes that are a mirror image of Hanzo’s. When Sho turns back to you, it’s with a wicked smirk that sends ice down your spine.

  


He decides that while having a dragon in your favour is helpful, having one under thumb is even better. So he “takes you two in”. Raises Ryuuko as his own. And every day he reminds you that while having you around is beneficial to Ryry’s development nothing is stopping him from ending you and then turning her against Hanzo, his only threat. You don’t only serve in raising Ryry but you also become an assassin again. You don’t enjoy working for Sho but the alternative was literally being under him. He keeps you on a tight leash but you savor the little rebellions you can get. You carry his orders out exactly as he tells you if not as he means them. Every time he addresses you, you reply with thinly veiled insults. You learn how to push his buttons and you push them hard. You try not to do it as often in front of the men though. Last time you embarrassed him in front of his men he reminded you of your position by having the man guarding Ryry point a gun at her during her nap over a video call. He wouldn’t kill her but there was a lot you could live through. He then beat you and didn’t stop till he broke your arm. You were much more careful how you insulted him after that. So while you fought him every step of the way while the years dragged on, you still did as he ordered.

  


Which is how you found yourself about to take on a newly reformed Overwatch. They were escorting a payload of very valuable weapons and Sho wanted to make sure they didn’t fall into the wrong hands. You were part of a small strike team that would come in after the larger part of your group engaged them. You were supposed to pick off any surprise players that might engage themselves after the gunfire started. When the main group engaged you lowered your oni mask and drew your swords. It didn’t take long for the hidden heroes to show themselves. You and your team leaped out from the shadows and joined the fray behind them. The gang worked at spreading out the heroes as best you could but a few big ones were making it difficult to get to the payload. You just focused on your section taking down Overwatch members.

  


“It’s high noon!”

  


You dive behind a trash bin as the ninja beside you falls dead. You look over the bin to see a tacky cowboy and an archer taking down enemy after enemy like they were fish in a barrel. Well that wouldn’t do. While the cowboy was distracted picking off enemies to his right you ran towards him from the left. He saw you and you were surprised at how quickly he got off shots. He wasn’t as quick as you though. You deflected each shot then sliced at his weapon sending it flying (in one piece which was a surprise to you). The force twisted his torso slightly and you span him the rest of the way around to face his companion. You placed a blade to his throat.

  


“Don’t move or your friend’s head here is as gone as his sense of style!” you yell at the archer.

  


“No need to be hitting below the belt Darling,” the cowboy grumbles.

  


The archer freezes.

  


“Drop your weapon!”

  


The archer lowers his bow but doesn’t drop it. He looks over his shoulder to send you a glare giving you a good look of his profile. 

  


You lock up. This couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t possibly him. The visor in your mask zooms in on his face but you can tell as clear as day. He’s older now. Has facial hair. But you’d know those eyes and cheekbones anywhere. Your daughter has the exact same ones.

  


You twitch when you hear footsteps running up behind you. In a heartbeat you release your hostage and spin into the line of fire. You deflect the shots away from Hanzo and back at their shooters. All except for one which whizzes past your defense and hits the dead center of your mask. You fall to the ground and parts of your mask fall away. Next thing you know you hear a click right above your head. You look up past your lashes and see the cowboy and Hanzo have their weapons pointed at you.

  


“Now I’m wantin’ to shoot ya solely for the fact that ya put a nick in ma Peacekeeper here. Not to mention what ya said about ma rockin’ threads here. But I’m mighty confused by that little stunt ya just pulled so I’m gonna give you a little leeway to explain what in tarnation just happened.”

  


“I speak many languages but I can assure that none of them are the one you were just spouting off,” you say in English.

  


“Why did do just put yourself in harm’s way to deflect those bullets?” Hanzo asks.

  


“Because I made a vow to protect my dragons.” You look up at him and meet his eyes.

  


He nearly drops his bow in shock and stares at you with wide eyes. “Y/N?”

  


“My Lord.” You shift into a bow.

  


“Jesse put your gun down!” Hanzo rushes forward and wraps you in a hug, stroking your hair.

  


You nearly weep in relief. How many times have you dreamt of this since he left?

  


“Uh, this a friend of yours Hanners?”

  


Hanzo pulls back to stare into your eyes and stroke your cheek. “She is my other half.”

  


You stiffen and pull away. That rush of relief and happiness was starting to give way to anger. You never stopped loving Hanzo but you still were upset with him for running away. “You must not think that highly of yourself if you’re willing to abandon your other half for almost ten years with nothing but a note.”

  


His face crumples and he looks like you just stabbed him in the heart. “Koneko-“

  


“No. I don’t have time for this.” You stand and turn to the cowboy. “I’d start working on getting civilians out. We were ordered to turn fire on them if you proved to be more difficult than expected.” You start to walk away.

  


“And where are you goin’?” asks the cowboy.

  


“I just put someone very important to me in danger by turning on my companions. I need to leave now before something happens.”

  


“I’ll go with you.” Hanzo stands.

  


“No. You’ll draw too much attention. It’ll be quicker if it’s just me. Besides, your friends need you.” With that you scale a building and leap from roof to roof trying to race home.

  


McCree turns to look at Hanzo who looks like he’s been turned to stone. “Hanners? You alright there buddy?”

  


He couldn’t believe it. He had held you in his arms and he still had trouble processing what had happened. After all these years he had finally found you. Alive. Of course Hanzo knew there was a chance that when he left the elders may put a bounty on his head. That wasn’t a surprise. But when he heard that they had put one on yours as well he had rushed back. He didn’t find you and your friend Haruhi had told him you had disappeared into the wind. After calling him a few choice words first. She had also told him that while she hoped that you got the help you needed to escape the clan another part of her hoped that you got it from anyone but him. That you didn’t deserve the hell he put you through. Hanzo agreed with that sentiment. Still he looked, for years, but you were far too good at hiding. So he was left with hoping that you were off living a happy life somewhere. It was better than thinking you were dead in a ditch.

  


“McCree. Hanzo. Why aren’t you answering your comms?”

  


Hanzo and McCree turn to see Genji walk up with his sword drawn, scanning the area for possible threats. Genji. Genji had also been someone he had failed. But his brother had seemingly come back from the dead and offered a chance at redemption. “Well you see,” McCree said. “Some stuff went down that I’m not all together clear about but whatever it is seems to have broken your brother…”

  


“Hanzo?” Genji tilts his head in confusion.

  


He had already been given one chance at redemption. Was it too much to ask for another?

  


“Hanners? Bud you okay?” 

  


No this wasn’t about redemption. This was about loyalty. You had proven time and again your loyalty to him and his family. Even now you had risked not only your own life but the life of someone else to protect him. And what had he given you? “I’m not running away anymore.” Hanzo turns and runs in the direction you went.

  


“Then where you goin’!?!” McCree yells. When Genji runs to follow and he calls, “And where the fuck you goin’!?! Gah. Damn ninjas and their dramatics. I’ll just fill in the others yeah? Bah.” He shakes his head and joins the others relaying the information you gave him.

  


You came up to your home and slid in through the back. It was a two story building that Sho paid for. You had convinced him to let you and Ryry move into a separate place because it would be easier to hide the fact she was a Shimada until he was ready to reveal her. He thought he could hide the fact well enough at his compound until Ryry summoned a dragon when he tried to put her in time out and again when he had punched you in front of her. Besides, this was a better school district. You were relieved when he finally gave in although you still had someone watching the house at all times and when you weren’t there a guard was with your daughter. Sho tried to play it off as if it was for your protection but you were well aware it was to keep you in line. You stepped into the living room without making a sound. Ryry was working on her homework in front of the television and her guard was lounging on the couch watching the sports game over her head. You came up behind the guard snapping his neck. Ryry jumped when his body hit the floor and turned to you.

  


“Haha!?!”

  


“We’ve got to go Ryry. Go grab your duffle and pack essentials. And I mean essentials. I don’t want to see a bag filled with comic books.” You couldn’t believe you were doing this again. How many times were you going to have to uproot your life and escape into the night like a thief?

  


“But Haha-“

  


You caught a glint out of the corner of your eye through the front window and dove to the ground, taking Ryry with you, just as a bullet came through the glass. Then it became a hail of bullets. You covered your daughter’s body with yours as she screamed into your chest. Your mind raced as you tried to figure out how you can get out of this with your daughter but judging by the amount of gun fire that was demolishing your home Sho had sent a small army after you. You suppose you should feel honored he felt you warranted this kind of response. Then you heard a familiar yell.

  


“Let the dragon consume my enemies!” You glanced up and saw a large blue light sweep through the street followed by yells and screams of agony. Then gun fire stopped.

  


When it started back up it wasn’t firing at you anymore. You get up and pull Ryry with you. “Go to your room, get your bag. Now.”

  


She nods and runs up the stairs.

  


Just then one of Sho’s men bursts through the door and takes aim at her retreating back. You withdrew your sword and sliced through his arms. He is mid scream when you lop his head off. You see more men heading towards you but before they get anywhere near the door arrows are lodged in their bodies. You were confused at first until you realized he had followed you. Steps behind you warn you that someone had snuck through the back and was coming at you. You raised your blade in time to deflect theirs. You swung your blades with the viciousness of a bear protecting her cub but he met you strike for strike. This was one of Sho’s more talented assassins it seemed and the skill showed.

  


Meanwhile upstairs Ryry was stuffing clothes and daggers into a bag when she heard the commotion downstairs. She pauses and carefully hedges back to the top of the stairs outside her door. “Haha?” Footsteps catch her attention and she looks out the open screen door to see armed men running across the roof at her. She shrieks and grabs a dagger out of her bag, throwing it so it lodges in the chest of the man in point. He grunts and clutches at his chest but the others surround him and open fire. Ryry shrieks and dives behind the small couch in her room for cover. The bullets thunk into the wall but stop soon after. She risks a peek over the back of the couch and sees some green robot ninja dude. He is deflecting the bullets and zips around the roof taking down enemy after enemy. One takes something the size of a softball off his belt and chucks it at the ninja. She yelps when she realizes it’s a bomb and ducks back behind the couch. Genji twists and deflects it seconds before it detonates. Ryry hugs the back of the couch as the explosion shakes the small apartment. She gasps when a blade flies into the wall inches from her face. She stares at her reflection, stunned.

  


Genji sails through the air and when he hits the ground he rolls into a crouch. Once he is upright he reaches for his katana. His hand grasps at air. He looks over his shoulder and then scans the area. His eyes catch on the hole in the screen door. Grumbling a curse under his breath he jumps out of the way of raining gunfire. As he leaps onto the building next door he throws shuriken, each finding their target. He runs along the edge, drawing his smaller blade and leaps at the remaining yakuza. Two have fallen before he even touches the ground.

  


While Genji draws their fire, Hanzo runs to the edge of the hole created by the blast, looking down into what is left of the living space below.

  


“Y/N! Y/N!” he calls.

  


“Over here!” You cough from the dust and try to crawl out from under the beam that has fallen on you.

  


Hanzo jumps down and weaves through the wreckage. He leverages a book shelf out of the way and lifts the beam up far enough for you to pull yourself forward. Once you are clear he drops the beam and helps you up. Over his shoulder you see the assassin you had been fighting earlier wiggle out from behind a fallen wall to take aim with a gun. You twist Hanzo out of the way and as you spin around you slide off his bow and steal an arrow. In one smooth motion, the arrow is nocked, then sent flying. It lodges in the barrel of the gun causing it to explode as the assassin is squeezing the trigger in the same second. When they cry out you kick up a table ornament and bat it. Its pointed top buries itself in his chest.

  


Hanzo smirks and takes his bow back. “Your shots still pull to the left.”

  


“Yeah. Kind of saw that when the arrow went in his gun and not his heart,” you snap.

  


He chuckles as he trails his hand down your arm and starts to twine his fingers between yours.

  


You both jerk when a yakuza goon falls down from above, landing on the rubble with a groan. A fresh burst of gun fire opens up and you shriek, “RYRY!”

  


The two of you run forward. Hanzo runs ahead and folds his hands. You sweep up two kitchen knives and step into his hands right before he sends you up flying upward. Before you land you throw a knife. It lodges into the chest of the nearest yakuza. You land and run forward, slicing at a couple of goons that got too close. You grab the knife you had thrown and turn to slice at the enemies before you.

  


Hanzo is up soon after, unleashing arrows. When the assassins try to rush him, he switches to swinging and punches. More and more try to confront him. Before he knows it, his brother is fighting at his back.

  


“Not that I’m not enjoying this trip down memory lane, but why are we here brother?” Genji asks.

  


“I am helping Konek-.” Hanzo presses his mouth into a tight line, shooting an arrow off into an Omnic’s circuitry.

  


“Were you about to say Koneko?” He cuts down another enemy. “Ha! I can’t wait to introduce myself if she already has you using cutesy pet names! Especially that one. I know how fond you are of it.”

  


“Shut up Genji!”

  


You take down two men when you feel someone coming up behind you. You swing around and cross your knives to catch the sword that was swinging down on you.

  


“Sho!” You hiss as he snarls at you. “Why am I not surprised you came here personally?”

  


“I took you under my wing, gave you protection, and this is how you repay me? With betrayal?” He shoves you back and you stumble.

  


He swings again and it takes all your strength to deflect it. “You were using me!” You step back to avoid another swing. “Using my daughter! You didn’t want to help us! You just wanted power!”

  


“And I’ll get it! But you won’t be the thorn in my side any longer!” He hails down strike after strike, eventually disarming you. It then becomes a game of merely keeping your limbs.

  


Hanzo looks over and sees you just barely avoid being cut in half. “Y/N!” He nocks an arrow and tries to take aim but he is forced to defend against an attack instead. He panics as he can’t see a way to get to the other side of the roof to you.

  


Ryry leaves her hiding place to peek out onto what is left of the roof. On one side of the chasm are two strange men, down the center surrounding the hole are the yakuza she recognizes as some of your coworkers, and on the other edge is Sho swinging his blade at you.

  


“HAHA!” She cries. She runs to the wall behind her and pulls at the blade sticking out of the plaster. With a jerk it slides loose and she runs to door. She slides it open in time to see you fall backward, Sho raises his blade. Anger flares in her chest and she feels a thrumming spread through her. A lavender glow floats up from the skin around her shoulders and floats down her arm. The green coloring along the katana’s blade swirls lavender. She swings the too long blade around herself creating glowing streaks that start to form something solid as she yells, “Dragon, I release you!” With a mighty swing a dragon flies forward and runs down the enemies in its path.

  


Sho looks up in time to see a set of lavender jaws consume him. You and the Shimada brothers stare at the carnage between you. The shock quickly leaves you and you turn towards your daughter. She is taking deep breaths and leaning against the sword for support. You clamber to your feet and run towards her. “Ryry!”

  


She looks to you relieved. “Haha.”

  


You fall to your knees and run your hands over her. Your mouth is going a mile a minute as you search your baby for any injuries.

  


The Shimada brothers are still staring in shock.

  


“So when you said Koneko earlier you meant-”

  


“Yes.” Hanzo answers.

  


“And you two-“

  


“Yes.”

  


“Oh shit.” The two continue to stare. “Oh shit!”

  


“Yes! Thank you Genji! I have come to that conclusion too.” Hanzo snaps at him.

  


“Thank you.” The brothers turn to see you stand and address them. “You didn’t have to come help us.”

  


“I really did,” Hanzo murmurs, unable to take his eyes off the young girl standing at your side.

  


“Konbanwa!” Genji says as he walks up to the young girl. “I am Genji. I’m your cool Uncle.”

  


She frowns at him with an eerily familiar glare and hands him back his sword. “Not exactly a difficult achievement considering you’re my ONLY uncle.”

  


“Ryry!” You abolish.

  


“She’s definitely your daughter. No doubt about that,” Genji says in a dry voice to his brother.

  


You clear your throat nervously and look to Hanzo through your lashes. He was still staring at your daughter with an undecipherable mask. You take her by the shoulders and bring her out from your side. “H-Her name is Ryuuko.”

  


“But people call me Ryry.”

  


Hanzo attempts to swallow the lump in his throat as he steps forward and kneels before the nine year old. His eyes rake over her, taking in his child. She had his eyes, cheek bones, and chin but she had your lips, your hair, and your spirit. He gives a slight bow. “It is an honor to finally meet you.”

  


“Where the hell have you been?”

  


“Ryry.” Your groan is barely heard over Genji’s peals of laughter.

  


Hanzo chuckles. “It’s alright. She has a right to demand answers. I should have been here for you two.”

  


“You didn’t know,” you say. “Neither did I until…after…”

  


“That is still no excuse.” He stands and takes your hands in his. “And I swear on my honor, I will do what I can to make it up to you. Both of you.”

  


“Yeaaaaaah. Think you could start with finding us a place without a hole in the ceiling…or so many dead bodies. Oh and I want a room with a view and enough space for a small sitting area. Couple bean bags, a TV the works. Preferably in a good school district. And near the cherry blossoms for Haha.”

  


You groan and lean your head into Hanzo’s shoulder. “Ryuuko, he is your father not your personal shopper.”

  


“I’m a girl with simple needs. He wants to reconcile? He can start with buying us cool shit. I also want the new gaming system.”

  


“Which one?” Hanzo chuckles, arching an eyebrow in amusement.

  


“All of them.”

  


Genji doubles over and struggles to breathe in between his laughter. “HA! It seems fun skipped a generation brother!”

  


“Don’t mind her. She just likes pressing peoples’ buttons.” You give her a reproachful frown.

  


“I can summon a dragon. Who is going to stop me?”

  


A loud, boisterous laugh erupts from Hanzo’s chest causing Genji to go silent and stare. He couldn’t remember the last time he had heard his brother laugh. Actually laugh. Laugh to the point where his eyes were watering. When the laughter turns to amused chuckles he says, “You are no longer the only dragon my Ryuu-chan. I fear it is more difficult to intimidate an old dragon.”

  


“Give me a week.”

  


Hanzo leans down and scoops up his daughter, nuzzling his face into her hair. “I would give you the world and more.” He tightens his arm around you and pulls you closer. You lean your head against his shoulder and even Ryry reaches her arms around his neck to embrace him. Hanzo holds his family close vowing to never let them go again.

  


“…that’s okay. I’m only the uncle you thought was dead for years on end. I didn’t do anything to help. I’ll just stand here. Alone. By myself.”

  


“Is he always like this?” Ryry asks as you let go of Hanzo to hug your little brother and cover his face plate in kisses.

  


“Yes.” Hanzo answers shifting her on his hip.

  


“I’ll have to fix that.”

  


“Bring it Little Noodle.” Genji chuckles over your head. You roll your eyes as he says, “I’ve been playing the annoying shit since before you were in diapers.”

  


“And I’ll be doing it long after we have to put you back in them.”

  


“Ryuuko,” you abolish as you step closer to wag a finger at her. “Respect your Uncle.”

  


“He started it.”

  


“And I’ll finish it.” Genji reaches over and gives Ryry a little pinch.

  


“Ow. Haha! He’s pinching me!”

  


Hanzo chuckles and wraps an arm back around your waist so he can start leading you back to the base where you two could sort out what to do next. The three of you had a home to find.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha = Mama
> 
> Please help support me on [**Ko-fi**](https://ko-fi.com/Z8Z5DNDF) so I can have more time for you darlings!


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